Systemic Indicators for Rural Communities in Developing Countries: Empirical Evidence from Vietnam

Phuong T. Nguyen (), Sam Wells () and Nam Nguyen ()
Additional contact information
Phuong T. Nguyen: The University of Adelaide Business School
Sam Wells: The University of Adelaide Business School
Nam Nguyen: The University of Adelaide Business School

Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2021, vol. 34, issue 2, No 6, 203-226

Abstract: Abstract Characterised by interconnectedness and interdependence amongst its parts, a community is complex and functions in a way that cannot be predicted with confidence. Community indicators therefore require a holistic and integrated approach if they are to reflect a community’s wellbeing and help it move towards sustainability. This paper presents empirical evidence gathered from two cases in Vietnam as a part of our complexity-based action research, aiming to developing a systems-based framework for identifying indicators of progress for rural communities in developing countries. The framework is an iterative cycle of adaptive learning and engagement, underpinned by complexity principles and systems based ‘sustainability’. The cycle builds on the One Way Forward model and the hierarchy of system leverage points in order to identify influential indicators. The framework achieved good traction in the two fieldwork locations with some valuable lessons in regard to the language used to explain systems and complexity concepts to the communities, and the effective methods to work with the communities. Results of the study and the lessons learnt are the focuses of this paper.

Keywords: Community indicators; Community development; Complexity; Leverage points; Shared vision; Sustainable rural development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11213-020-09528-7 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:syspar:v:34:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1007_s11213-020-09528-7

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/journal/11213

DOI: 10.1007/s11213-020-09528-7

Access Statistics for this article

Systemic Practice and Action Research is currently edited by Robert Flood

More articles in Systemic Practice and Action Research from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().